During a January 15th NCAA athletic conference, it was revealed that six Vitamin Water flavors contain ""impermissible or banned substances" that could result in athletes getting suspensions. I had always thought that Vitamin Water was just colored water packed with sugar, but apparently that's not the case.
They Center for Drug Free Sport even proposed that this sign be hung in NCAA locker rooms all across the country.
That's, uh, not exactly the kind of press you want. I also like how 'b-relaxed' is banned. B-relaxed, indeed.
Anyhow, the Brown Daily Herald - the student newspaper at Brown University - decided to test the banned drinks to see what was in them. Answer: A lot of strange junk.
Psychoactive compounds? I don't know what that is, but it doesn't sound good.The flavors known as Power-C, Energy, B-relaxed, Rescue, Vital-T and Balance were all mentioned in Associate Athletic Director Robert Kenneally's e-mail to students, though only Energy and Rescue contain compounds that are banned - caffeine in both cases, and guarana seed extract for Energy. Caffeine is banned only above a level of 15 micrograms per milliliter, according to the NCAA, a mark that can be avoided with most moderate diets.
Five flavors contain some amount of impermissible substances, and so cannot be provided to students. Power-C, B-relaxed and Rescue contain the psychoactive compounds taurine - found in Red Bull - L-theanine and ECGC, the active ingredient in green tea extract.
Balance contains traces of glucosamine - sometimes used to rebuild cartilage or heal joints - and Vital-T has chemicals found in rooibos tea extract.
Basically, you should have just blamed Vitamin Water, A-Rod. You totally would have gotten off the hook.
Some Vitaminwater flavors contain banned substances [Brown Daily Herald] via [Deadspin]
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